A camera module is a modular image capturing device that integrates a lens assembly, an image chip and a circuit board. The camera module is widely used in an electronic device with an image-capturing function. The electronic device with the image-capturing function includes for example a mobile phone, a notebook computer, a portable music player, or the like. Recently, the general trends in designing the electronic device are toward small size, light weightiness and easy portability. Since the demand on the size of the camera module becomes more stringent, the overall height of the camera module needs to be as low as possible.
FIG. 1 is a schematic side view illustrating a conventional camera module. As shown in FIG. 1, the camera module 1 comprises a circuit board 11, a base plate 12, an image chip 13, a holder 14 and a lens assembly 15. The base plate 12 is disposed on the circuit board 11 and has a recess 121 for accommodating the image chip 13. Through a wire layer (not shown) of the base plate 12, the sensing signal generated by the image chip 13 could be transmitted to the circuit board 11. The holder 14 is disposed on the base plate 12 for supporting and fixing the lens assembly 15. Via the lens assembly 15, an external image could be focused on the image chip 13.
Please refer to FIG. 1 again. Since the base plate 12 of the conventional camera module 1 should have the recess 121 for accommodating the image chip 13, a thickness from a bottom of the recess 121 to the circuit board 11 is necessary to support the image chip 13. Moreover, since the circuit board 11 and the holder 14 have their thickness themselves, it is difficult to lower the overall height of the camera module 1. Therefore, there is a need of providing a camera module having a reduced overall height while maintaining the functions of the components thereof.